Valves for glue applicators for carton sealing machines



June 25, 1957 M. M. GUGGENHEIM 2,796,847

VALVES FOR GLUE APPLICATORS FOR CARTON SEALLNG MACHINES Filed June 17,1955 INVENTOR. I -gm Zag ff? L Fu ...no agwlwx Snsl llll Il UnitedStates PatentC VALVES FOR GLUE APPLICATORS FOR CARTON SEALING MACHINESMax M. Guggenheim, New York, N. Y., assignor to National EquipmentCorporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application`lune 17, 1955, Serial No. 516,239

8 Claims. (Cl. 118-411) This invention relates to an apparatus forsealing cartons, and more particularly to the portion thereof whichapplies glue or an adhesive to the aps of the carton preparatory to thesame being folded down into sealing position.

'Ihe invention has particular reference to a part of the machine shownin the patent to Philip G. Schlemmer, Patent No. 2,691,260, datedOctober 12, 1954. In that patent the cartons to be sealed are movedalong on a support, and one or more projecting flaps of the carton arebrought into contact with perforated glue applicator tubes which cause asupply of glue to be placed on the surfaces of the aps to besubsequently folded down. The present invention has reference to a meansby which the glue applicator tube may have a selected number of itsoutlet openings or perforations covered or uncovered as required tothereby accommodate the effective area of glue application to carton apsof various heights.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a simplified valvemeans which can be very easily adjusted to permit the applicator tube toapply glue within a given area only, according to the height of the apson the cartons to be sealed.

With this and other objects to be hereinafter set forth, in view, I havedevised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularlypointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a glue applicator and valvemeans therefor made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same, with parts in section todisclose construction;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the tubular valve;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View, taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig.3, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the applicator and a portion of thecarton to which adhesive is applied.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates an outer applicator tube, providedfor a substantial portion of its length with a flat surface 2 throughwhich is formed a line of spaced perforations or holes 3 arranged in alongitudinal row. Glue or another suitable liquid adhesive, passesthrough these holes and comes into contact with a face of the tiap of acarton which is brought into contact with the tiat surface 2 of theouter applicator tube, as the carton travels through the machine. Theouter applicator tube 1 is provided with a closed end 4, and adjacent toits opposite end it is formed with a slot 5. The applicator tube issuitably supported by means such as is shown for example, in theSchlemmer Patent No. 2,691,260.

Mounted for limited rotative movement within the outer tube 1 is aninner tube 7a, which closely but rotative- 2,796,847 Patented June 25,1957 1y, lits within the outer tube. Near one of its ends the inner tube7a is provided with a radially-projecting pin 6 that extends through theslot 5 and co-operates therewith in limiting the rotative movement ofthe inner tube 7a within the outer tube 1. Suitable means, such as isdisclosed for example in the Schlemmer Patent No. 2,691,260, is providedfor rotatively moving the inner tube 7a within the outer tube 1 in amanner to register the line of openings or perforations 7 provided inthe inner tube 7a with the slightly larger perforations 3 providedthrough the wall of the outer tube 1, or to move the inner tube 7a in amanner to disalign the two sets of perforations.

Secured adjustably within the inner tube 7a is a tubular adjustablevalve sleeve 8 which also acts as a glue-supply conduit and whichconsists of an imperforate tube as shown in Fig. 3, closely, butadjustably fitting the interior of the inner tube 7a. Said valve sleeve8 is adapted to be longitudinally adjusted through the inner tube 7a toa desired extent to determine the number of perforations 7 in the innertube 7a that are to be exposed to the interior of the applicator topermit the passage of glue through such perforations. For example, inFig. 1, one of the perforations 7 is exposed below the lower end of thesleeve valve 8 and hence glue entering into the interior of theapplicator through the sleeve 8 will pass through this perforation only,to reach the ap of a carton that contacts with the face 2 of theapplicator tube 1. By moving the sleevevalve 8 to the desired extent ofinsertion into the inner tube 7a or withdrawing the sleeve valve to adesired extent and setting the sleeve valve at such desired position, agreater or lesser number of the perforations 7 will be uncovered forpassage of glue through them and the area of glue aplication to a cartonap will be either enlarged or reduced according to the size of thecarton flap to be glued.

The sleeve valve 8 is open at its lower end and its opposite endreceives the flexible glue-supply pipe 12. The means for adjustablymaintaining the sleeve valve 8 in any selected position of insertioninto the inner tube 7a,

comprises, fitting 9 which is threadably iitted into the end' of theinner tube'7a and through which the sleeve valve 3 passes. A clampingnut 10, threadable on the fitting 9, forces a packing 11 into grippingcontact with the sleeve valve 8 thus maintaining the sleeve valve 8 inany selected position of insertion into the inner tube 7a.

To aid the operator in setting the sleeve valve 8 in the requiredperforation-blocking position, said valve is provided on itsv outersurface with spaced calibrations or lines 13, and by noting the numberof these lines which project above or beyond the fitting 9, the operatorwill at once know the number of holes 7 that remain uncovered by thesleeve valve 8.

From the foregoing, the operation of the described structure will beapparent. A carton 21 moving along on its support will be brought intocontact with the at surface 2 of the applicator tube 1, by suitableguide means not herein shown, but as seen in the said Schlemmer PatentNo. 2,691,260. At this time, the inner tube 7a has been turned withinthe outer tube `1 to align the perforations 3 with the perforations 7and thus glue will pass through such registered perforations 7 and willbe applied to the surface of the flap 20 of the carton. By longitudinaladjustment of the sleeve valve 8 within the inner tube 7a, only thoseperforations as will be required v according to the height of the cartonflap willV be exposed 3 Y From'the apparatus described, it will be seenthat a means is provided by which a single applicator maybe used forvarious sizes of cartons, and by means of the adjustable sleeve valve,control of the distribution ofthe glue willfbe had for each specificsizeofcarton flap. This adjustment is easily obtained by unloosening'the clamping nut 19, sliding the sleeve valve 8 into or out of theinner tube "7a to the extent required, and then tightening the clampingnut 10 to hold the sleeve valvel 8 in the set position. It will beunderstood that in a carton-sealing lmachine, a number of theseapplicators may be used for simultaneous or successive application ofglue to the several flaps of the cartons.

Having described a single embodiment of the invention, it isobvious'that'the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broadenough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexedclaims.

`WhatI claim is:

l. An adhesiveapplieator for cartonisealing machines comprising, aplurality of concentric tubes, the outermost of said tubes beingfclosedat one end two of said tubes being provided with perforations adapted tobe aligned or disaligned by rotative movement of .one of the said twotubes, a third and innermost tube through which adhesive is delivered,said third tube being imperforate and being adapted to be longitudinallyadjusted within the other tubes .to thereby determine which of theperforations in the two said tubes shall communicate with the interiorof the innermost tube.

2. An adhesive applicator comprising anouter applicator tube closed atthe bottom and provided with a line of spaced perforations through whichan adhesive passes to reach a carton flap, an inner tube mounted withinthe outer tube and adapted for limited rotative movement within saidouter tube, the inner tube having a line of perforations which arealigned or disaligned with the perforations in the outer tube byrotative movements of said inner tube, a slidable sleeve adjustablelongitudinally within the inner tube and adapted to cover a selectednumber of .the perforations therein according to the longitudinaladjustment of said sleeve, meansA for holding the sleeve in selectedposition of longitudinal adjustment, and means'for conveying adhesiveinto the interior of said sleeve.

3. An adhesive applicator comprising an outer, closedend applicatortube, said tube having a flattened face against `which the ap of acarton is adapted Vto contact, an inner tube mountedwithin the outertube and adapted to have a limited rotative movement therein, the outertube being provided with a line yof spaced perforations through thetlattened area, the inner tube having a line of similar perforations foralignment or disalignment with those of the outer tube on rotativemovement of the inner tube, a third tube within the inner tube adaptedfor longitudinal adjustment therein to cover selected perforations in.both tubes, and means for maintaining said third tube inselected'positions of longitudinal adjustment.

4. In anadhesive applicator as provided for in claim 3, including meansengaged with one end of the inner tube for clampingly engaging the thirdtube and holding the same in selected positions of insertion into theinner tube.

5. In an adhesive applicator, a pair of conceutricallyarrangedperforated tubes, the outer tube thereof being closed at its lower endand comprising an applicator member with which the flapofa carton isadapted to contact to receive a charge of adhesive, one of the tubesbeing rotative within the :other to align Yor disalign its perforationswiththe perforations in the other tube, and a third tube -titted withinthe innermost of the two tubes and `conveying adhesive thereinto, andmeans for maintaining the third tube in selectedvpositions oflongitudinal adjustment relatively to the other tubes, said third tubebeing imperforate and selectively covering lperforations in the othertubes according to the extent of its projection within the innermosttube.

6. In an adhesive applicator as provided for in claim 5, wherein thethird tube is provided on its surface with lindicating marking toindicateexteriorly of the two tubes the number of perforations that arebeing covered by it for each extent of insertion into the inner tube. i

7. In an adhesive applicator, an outer tube having a carton-lapcontacting surface, a line of holes extending longitudinally of theouter tube within the area defined by the attened surface, the outertubebeing slotted adjacent to one end, an inner tube fitted within the outertube, the outer tube being closed at one end, the inner tube having anopen end positioned adjacent to the closed end of the outer tube, a pinextending radially from the inner tube and passing through the slot inthe outer tube, the inner tube being rotative Within the outer tube tothe extent-permitted by the slot, the inner tube having a line of holesadapted to register with the holes in the outer tube by rotativemovement of the inner tube to a predetermined position, a glue-deliverytube mounted for slidable adjustment within the inner tube, saidAglue-delivery tube being connected to a sourceof glue supply, saidglue-delivery tube acting to cover a selected number of holes in boththe inner and outer tubes according to the extent of insertion of saidglue-delivery tube into the inner tube, and means con nected .to theinner tube for engaging the glue-delivery tube and holding it at anyselected position of setting with respect to the innertube.

8. In a glue-applicator as provided for in claim 7, wherein theglue-delivery tube is provided with spaced cross-marks on'its outersurface, Vand which indicate the number of holes being covered'by it,said cross-marks bev ing exposed on that portion of the glue-deliverytube which is extended out of the said holding means.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,691,260Schlemmer Oct. 12, 1954 2,765,769 Schroeder Oct. 9, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS447,219 Great Britain May 14, 1936

